The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for packaging food products. More specifically, the present invention relates to apparatus and methods for packaging taco shells.
The present taco shell nester apparatus or systems nest individual taco shells within each other to form groups of nested taco shells. The present taco nester also forms insert flats or coupons into spacer inserts and places the formed spacer inserts into the open end of the nested taco group and advances the group with spacer to subsequent packaging operations.
Taco shells are typically formed by frying soft tortillas and folding into a generally crescent shape while still warm and pliable. The taco shells so formed are often nested into groups comprising from 2-20 individual taco shells. Popular packaged food items comprise six, 10, 12 or 18 count groups. Common commercial practice still involves manual nesting of individual taco shells into nested groupings of desired numbers of shells. However, automated or mechanized apparatus for nesting shells are known and commercially employed. Such prior nester systems, however, are not easily converted from producing six count groups to producing for example, 12 or 18 count groups, or vice versa. Also, prior nester systems generally employ numerous pneumatic cylinders for operation that require significant amounts of maintenance and part replacement that results in considerable process downtime, use large amounts of compressed air that results in expensive operational costs, have less than desirable production speeds, and have less than desirable operating performance with square paper inserts.
There is a need in the art for a taco shell nester system and methods that facilitate easy conversion between counts. Also, the is a need in the art for a taco shell nester system and methods that offer reduced maintenance, lower operational costs, increased production speeds, greater reliability and improved performance with square paper inserts.